Ray Winstone has stepped in to replace Robert De Niro in Edge of Darkness, the Martin Campbell-directed drama which also stars Mel Gibson.

According to Variety, shooting began in Massachusetts on Aug. 18. After two days on set, De Niro left the project over "creative differences".

Winstone is negotiating to play an operative sent to clean up evidence in the murder of a woman. Gibson plays her detective father, who wants answers after his daughter is shot on his doorstep.

Danny Huston, Shawn Roberts and Bojana Novakovic also star. The film's based on the Campbell-directed 1985 BBC miniseries.

Production is set to resume.